Posted:
MoM: Aandhi
Ah... sigh! Nostalgia, I felt it in spades, for a time when I wasn't even around much less a movie buff.
- Nostalgia for the 70s middle of the road main stream cinema, when the Gulzaars, the Basu Chatterjis and the Hrishikesh Muhkerjis flourished.
- Nostalgia for a time when the leads of a film looked like real people, not prototypes of a gym program with size zero figures and 6 pack abs. Suchitra Sen in her prim long sleeved blouses and khadi saris had at least the classic Indian features that makes the trappings superfluous. But Sanjeev Kumar is every man - paunchy, has never seen the inside of a gym, khaate peetay khaandaan ka, unremarkable features - yet, even when he barely moves a muscle, his face, his eyes, his body language, his demeanor express a myriad of emotions - pain, anguish, regret, mischief, love, strength, dignity - aur baat seedhay dil pay lagti hai. ❤️
- Nostalgia for those amazing supporting characters that were like starch to a collar, the stiffness that hold up an exquisite cotton sari - AK Hangal in a character he's played a million times, yet seems so real, so true. I miss those supporting characters - AK Hangal, Ashok Kumar, Om Prakash, Dina Pathak, Iftakar as the eternal cop. They had supporting parts sometimes small ones, but they made them count. They lent dignity and realism to the story. I'm hard pressed to name characters like theirs from today's films.
- But more than anything, nostalgia for the soundtrack and score - Gulzaar and RD Burman, Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar. To me they were the true heroes of the film and they will endure forever. No gimmicks, no commercial trappings, no tamasha - just supremely talented individuals doing what they do best - no fuss, no muss.
I don't think this was Gulzaar's best effort - there was a lot of choppiness and compromise - the nod to Indira Gandhi as idol for example. But that's the result of making a film with a political backdrop with a female lead who whose "look" was so like Indira Gandhi's. But kudos for pushing thru and making the film work. Savs, thanks for the background piece, it was helpful in understanding some of the creative conflict and compromises.
Visi, great comment on this perhaps being more autobiographical than anything else. It never occurred to me that this is more reflective of Gulzaar's life than anyone else's.
Dipsy, fabulous opening post to set up the discussion. Hatke love story indeed - one that doesn't have a clear win or lose, just reflects the mixed bag of outcomes that is life. Thanks for picking this one, I'm enjoying revisiting these old faves.
Visi - I don't see this as sad or a tragedy in any way. If anything I thought it was a triumph - the 9 year long amavaas ended, to return perhaps to its normal cycle. Aarti made peace with her choices, renewed her love for her husband, will reconnect with her daughter. Sure this isn't a normal happily ever after - but there is the phone, letters, maybe the occasional weekend/holiday. If she had given it all up and stayed a wife and mother would she have been happy? As Dipsy suggests - likely not. Would he have been happy? As Savs quotes from his dialog - likely not. They would have been together but unfulfilled and disgruntled if either had taken on the other's life. So they stay true to their calling, their goals, their values and still manage to share a love. Pretty much a happy ending in my book - but then I don't much believe in the fairy tale kind! 😛
Finally Visi: Thanks but idea dena aasaan hai - the execution is what counts. The MoM machinery works thanks to Savs who solicits ideas, assigns picks, figures out schedules, send reminders. Thanks, chica ❤️
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